Foot-power machine



(No Model.)

m W. 1 N.

* UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ALFRED B. KITTSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOT-POWER MACHINE.

"SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,820, dated October 2, 1883.

Application filed August 11, 1882. Renewed July 21, 1883. (N model.)

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED B. KITTSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State'of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Foot-Power Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Myinvention relates to foot-power mechanism for driving sewing-machines and performing similar work requiring small power and high speed.

It is well known that the operation of the treadlemeehanism in common use frequently produces serious physical injury, especially to female operatives, in consequence of the manner in which the power of the foot is applied.

The objects of my invention are to relieve the operator from any unnecessary strain, and at the same time to diminish the amount of power required to operate the machine. I attain these objects by the use of a swinging treadle suspended vertically from the frame work of the machine, in combination with a clutch-pulley on the driving-shaft so arranged as to move it always in one direction, and thereby secure a continuous motion of the driving-shaft, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of my machine; Fig. 2 a side elevation; Fig. 3, a plan; Fig. 4, a section of the clutch-pulley.

Similar letters-of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is a swinging treadle, suspended from the under side of the sewing-machine table, or from a separate frame, M M, adapted for that purpose. 1

B is a bracket rigidly attached to the under side of the-table and projecting downward from it, or forming a part of the frame M M. To this bracket is pivoted the lever G, the

7 lower end of which is connected to the lower part of the treadle A by a pin, 5, working in the slot a in such manner that the oscillations of the treadle communicate a similar oscillating or rocking movement to the upper end of the lever O. The upper end of the lever O is forked, one arm passing each side of the driving-shaft D.

On the shaft D is a clutch-pulley, E, around which is coiled a strap, F, one end of which is fastened to each arm of the lever C, so that the oscillations of the lever alternately turn the clutch-pulley in either direction. The driving-shaft is also furnished with afly-wheel, G. The clutch-pulley E is bored centrally for the shaft and formed atthe sides of the central aperture with tangential grooves t, which extend from end to end of the hub and open into the bore. 'In the grooves i are rollers k, behind which are springs Z, which tend to force the rollers toward the shaft D. There are preferably three grooves, i, and the rollers k are of such diameter that they will jam between the shaft and the tangent sides of the grooves, except at the widest part of the grooves. With this construction the pulley can turn freely on the shaft in one direction, and will clutch the shaft firmly when turned the reverse way. I

The form of clutch-pulley above described I regard as the best; but I do not limit myself to it, as one of different form may be substituted for it without departing from the principle of my invention. The tangential grooves, for example, may be made in an enlargement of the circumference of the driving-shaft, the

inner face of the pulley being made smooth; or ratchet-teeth may be cut in the circumference of the driving-shaft and a pawl attached 7 to the pulley in such manner that the pawl shall catch and turn the shaft only in one rection.

In operation, the treadle being swung away from the operator by the pressure of the foot, the strap F turns the clutch-pulley, and with it the shaft D, which itgrasps firmly when turning in this direction. The shaft continues to turn by the momentum of the fly-wheel, while the clutch is returned to its original position by the backward motion of the treadle, the clutch while so returning offering no resistance to the motion of the shaft, so that the oscillations of the treadle move the drivingshaft always in one direction. By this use of a swinging treadle, in combination with a clutch-pulley, the leg and foot of the operator move with an easy swinging motion, the strength being exerted to the best advantage 2 esaeeo and the injurious strain produced by the usual rising and falling treadle motion is entirely avoided.

I do not claim as new either the swinging 5 treadle or clutch-pulley, as I am aware that these have already been used separately in footpower machines.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a foot-power machine, the combination of the horizontally-swinging treadle A,'forked lever O, shaft D clutch-pulley E, and strap F, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

ALFRED B. KITTSON.

IVitnesses:

J AMES A. L. WHITTIER, RODNEY F. J OHONNOT. 

